The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has assured importers and exporters that the Council will soon introduce modern cargo tracking system.
The council said this last week at a stakeholders’ appreciation night, which held in Lagos.
Speaking during the event, the Executive Secretary of the Council; Mr Hassan Bello, said that introducing cargo tracking device will also help in revenue blockage and assist the Nigeria Customs Service in its revenue collection.
According to Bello, the Cargo Tracking And Advanced Cargo Information System is a trade facilitation system which involves advance electronic transmission of cargo manifest ahead of the ships arrival.
He told the stakeholders, which included the organised private sector, shippers, terminal operators and freight forwarders, among others that, “Cargo tracking and advanced cargo information system is a trade facilitation system which was introduced by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council and is being supported by the Nigeria Customs Service’’.
He said more importantly, the device ‘’is used to block revenue leakages at the ports. It enables customs to place the correct duty on every cargo’’. ‘’We wouldn’t be having all these smuggling if we have the advanced cargo information system’’, he added.
“This gathering is to synergise with service providers, including surveyors, ship owners, terminal operators, shipping company, freight forwarders, chandlers among other. Shippers Council has a vintage position of making the industry holistic and trying to bring the needed synergy in the industry. Today as we have done in the last two years, we want to bring all of them together so that we can work together and ensure that this industry grows and to realise the potentials”, he told his guests.
Speaking on the current role of the Council as the economic regulator, Bello said: “We are looking for the equilibrium and the balance that is needed, we always look for a level playing field and we think that such is needed for us to achieve this objective. The ports system is a representative of many people and everybody has the same target. So you need a neutral observer, and umpire and a referee to bring everybody together and that is what the Nigerian Shippers’ Council is doing to cement the relationship so that the synergy will be brought to bear to the contribution of the shipping industry to the national economy”
Speaking on the controversial issue of cargo diversion, Mr. Bello said that a shipper has the power to take his or her cargo to any terminal he/ she want.
“I don’t know whether it is diversion, we need to be very competitive, the shipper has the power to take his cargo to any terminal, and it is an economic decision. Whether he takes it to Nigeria or someone else depends on the competitiveness of the Nigerian ports and we are trying to make the Nigerian ports very competitive and that is why we are bringing everybody together here so that we can achieve that’’.
While speaking at the event, Minister of Transportation; Mr Rotimi Amaechi has charged the private sector to work closely with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in moving the sector forward, even as he urged them to bring-in new ideas towards developing the sector in line with international best practices.
Amaechi who was represented by the Director, Marine Services, Ministry of Transportation, Alhaji Sanni Galadanchi was full of commendation for the Shippers’ Council.
“I commend this laudable initiative of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council and urge all stakeholders to support such efforts towards maintaining cordial and mutual beneficial relationship in the overall interest of the economic development of the nation”
He also described the event as a potent means of identifying ways in which value can be added in the maritime sector.
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